Waking from oblivion
by slytherinsal
Summary: another exploration of what happens if Harry gets a bit smarter about the Triwizard when he realises that hostages are going to be taken and fears it is going to be Hermione. Nobody can get at a potential hostage if she's hidden in the Chamber of Secrets, Oh, and there's a lot of potion ingredients to negotiate with Snape. Well-meaning manipulative! Dumbledore. Ron improves.


**Waking out of oblivion**

 _ **This takes place shortly before the second task of the triwizard**_

"Right, so you have listened to the egg, and something valuable will be taken," said Hermione. "According to what I've found in the history of the Triwizard, this is usually a hostage."

"A hostage? Are they insane? Isn't it enough to risk the participants of this bloody farce?" demanded Harry.

"Language, though I'm not sure I feel that much like calling you on it," said Hermione.

"I could curse and swear a lot more colourfully than that if I borrowed from Vernon's vocabulary," said Harry. "The most valuable person to me is you, Hermione, and if this is such an old competition, what's the betting they forget some fundamental piece of protection for a muggleborn?"

"Oh, Harry! Do you really think I'm your most valuable person? And surely Professor Dumbledore wouldn't forget something so important?"

"Hermione, you are the only person who has stuck by me; and as we made friends over Ron hurting you in the first year, I'm not even regretting the loss of his friendship. I couldn't accept his apology, you know. As to Dumbledore, he 'forgot' to leave a certain book in the library which, had we had access to it, would have got me out of the competition – right up until I 'chose' to participate."

Hermione gasped.

"What? How? What did it say?"

"Breathe, 'Mione and I'll tell you. It said that in times when there were willing participants under the age of majority, their guardian's signature was required to permit them to participate, or their choice to enter their names was invalid, unless they had already taken part in the first task. All I had to do was to have Padfoot refuse permission. Funny that the book returned to the library after the first task."

Hermione was horrified.

"But it doesn't mean that the headmaster took it, it could have been whoever entered you," she ventured.

"Hermione, if you were a headmaster, reviving a competition which killed a significant number of its competitors, wouldn't you read every scrap of information about it in order to ensure making it safer?"

"Well, yes, of course."

"So either Dumbledore removed it, or he failed to mention it, or he was negligent in failing to read it in the first place," said Harry.

"You can only have two alternatives if you use the word 'either'," said Hermione, absently. Harry rolled his eyes; it was the way Hermione bought time to process information. She went on, "Yes, it does seem odd. And the Headmaster did not seem upset or worried that your name came out, did he?"

"No. I have wondered if he put it in there and it's a re-run of our first year. And although my competitive nature wants to do well, I am wondering if I should just fail in the final task."

"That's the first sensible thing you've said for a long time, Harry James Potter," said Hermione, leaning over and kissing him. She aimed at his cheek, but he turned to her and somehow they were kissing.

The teens pulled apart, both rather red.

"I ..." said Hermione.

"Please don't tell me you didn't mean it, I need something good in my life right now," said Harry.

Hermione, who had been going to apologise, gasped, grabbed him, and snogged him properly.

They sat holding hands.

"Right, no way am I going to let you be put at the bottom of the black lake," said Harry. "If you were there for any normal accidental reason, I'd move heaven and earth to get you out even though I can't swim."

"Didn't you learn at school?"

"Not after my cousin tried to drown me; I'm a bit water phobic," Harry admitted. "This isn't a test of magic for me, but one which gives me panic attacks."

"What are we going to do?" Hermione started sounding panicked herself.

"Hush. I bet they kidnap the hostages right before the task to prevent anyone protesting, and I bet your parents won't have been asked. I want you to use Hedwig and ask them to write to you, refusing permission to take part in a dangerous competition. And then, first thing in the morning before the competition, we'll go down to the Chamber of Secrets and Dobby will bring you your meals, and books and things until it's all over. And if anyone kills me, he can pop you out."

Hermione bit her lip.

"But I want to be there to support you ..."

"If you are out of the way I'll be able to handle the nonsense better," said Harry. "Do you think I don't want you supporting me? But what good is your support going to be if you're at the bottom of the lake and I have to go into freezing water, panicking, to get you out?"

"I concede the point," said Hermione. "It ... it would be adult of both of us to admit I can't be at your side all the time. Is ... Is the basilisk still down there?"

"I presume so," said Harry. "I guess it might be a bit high, but we can check when you've sent Hedwig off."

"Magical creatures don't decay very quickly and it's a controlled environment," said Hermione. . "You know, you should maybe get another ally by asking Professor Snape if he'd like to harvest it in exchange for being a bit more reasonable."

Harry blinked, considering.

"Well he can't hate me any worse," he said. "Come on, owl loft."

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Once Hedwig was on her way, Hermione accompanied Harry down to the Chamber. The shed skin was bad enough, and she paled when she saw the dead basilisk.

"I'm sorry, 'Mione, but maybe Dobby can get a wizarding tent," said Harry. "So you don't have to look at it. But this is the only place they can't get to."

"I'm not disagreeing," said Hermione. "It's a magnificent creature in a way, I wonder if Professor Snape would let us help harvest it, and learn how to?"

Harry grinned. How like Hermione to make a lesson out of it!

"Dobby!" he called.

Dobby turned up, and squealed at the sight of the basilisk.

"Harry Potter sir is a mighty wizard," he said. "How may Dobby help Harry Potter sir?"

"Dobby, would you be able to get a wizarding tent to put up down here?" asked Harry.

"If Harry Potter sir is giving his signature to Dobby as his finance elf, Dobby can buy one, now Harry Potter sir is an adult," said Dobby.

"I'm only fourteen," said Harry.

"Oh, no, Harry Potter sir, headmaster manyhats and ministry moustache man says Harry Potter sir compete in adult competition, so Harry Potter sir is Lord Potter, and an adult. Elveses feel the change in magic."

"What? What does that entail?"

"Dobby will get Harry Potter sir's heir and line head ring, and the promise ring for Harry Potter's Grangy," said Dobby. "Dobby will be keeping Harry Potter's Grangy safe down here while the line thieves try to steal her away, and then Lord Potter sues for attempted harm to the betrothed of a most ancient and noble house, and for attempted line theft in placing the sole heir in jeopardy."

"Dobby, while I'm down here, you and I need a long talk about what we need to tell Harry to do," said Hermione. "And I will want books on heritance and noble houses and all that sort of thing."

"Dobby knew Harry Potter's Grangy would manage to work it out," said Dobby, bouncing on the sock-clad balls of his feet. "Dobby wants to have clothes with the Potter crest on so he can act for Harry Potter sir."

"You do whatever you think is necessary," said Harry, bemused. "I, uh, hadn't proposed to Hermione."

"Then Harry Potter sir had better do so."

"We're too young," objected Hermione.

Dobby bounced in irritation.

"Many betrothals happen at birth," he squeaked. "And Harry Potter's Grangy needs protecting from bad purebloods. Doesn't need to get married, can dissolve betrothal by mutual consent."

Harry and Hermione exchanged a long look.

"Will you do me the honour of being my betrothed?" asked Harry.

"I should like that very much," said Hermione. A brief glow outlined them.

"Magic likes it!" said Dobby happily.

"Have we just been manipulated by an elf?" said Harry.

"Yes, but I'm not complaining," said Hermione. "Actually it makes me a lot happier about house elves if they can manipulate masters that way."

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"Professor Snape, may I have a word?"

"What is it, Potter? I don't have all day."

"Can you put up a privacy ward, please, sir?"

Snape sighed and cast his own muffliatus spell.

"This had better be good."

"I hope you will think it so, sir. I wanted to negotiate with you to have a share of the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets in return for being a bit less contentious with me and with my friends."

Snape sneered as a matter of habit.

"Is it worth my time?"

"Well, sir, perhaps you'd like to come and see?"

Snape debated with himself, and curiosity won over pride. Even a small basilisk such as the boy probably defeated and exaggerated about would yield valuable potion ingredients.

He was soon peering into the pipe.

"Potter, hasn't it occurred to you that Salazar Slytherin was unlikely to voluntarily choose to enter his chamber via a muggle helter-skelter?" he said. "Try asking for stairs. And light."

"Er, yes sir," said Harry, and did as he was told. Stairs and torches appeared. "Oh, now I feel really stupid."

"Self-realisation of faults is a step towards enlightenment," said Snape. He followed Harry and blinked in amazement at the size of the shed skin. Surely that was a ... no, basilisks could not reproduce normally, it could not be a parent.

When he saw the basilisk he was struck dumb.

And came to a hasty decision.

"Mr. Potter, how loyal are you to Dumbledore?" he asked.

"At the moment, not at all," said Harry. "Just as well he hadn't betrayed me so badly when I was fighting this thing, without Fawkes, I would have been toast."

Snape regarded the pecked out eyes.

"Even so, I have underestimated you. You are more powerful than I realised," he said. "I would be ... most grateful to be permitted to harvest some of the ingredients from this beast. I would also be prepared to place myself in vassalage to House Potter pending your oath to protect me from both Dumbeldore and the Dark Lord."

"His name is Tom Riddle, sir; please use it," said Harry.

"Tom Riddle then," said Snape. "Saying his name of choice near to a dark mark means he can hear what is said."

"I'm sorry, why should that be an issue?" said Harry.

"Because in my stupid youth when I was hardly any older than you and almost as stupid I took the mark," ground out Snape. "And it's getting darker. He ..." he closed his eyes.

"Dobby, hot chocolate," said Harry quietly, and Snape found a mug of hot chocolate pressed into his hand. He took a grateful swallow.

"I told the ... Tom ... about the prophesy and begged him not to hurt your mother. I was indifferent to what happened to your father," he said "But I thought if he did not target your mother, it would save your father and I would also be free of the life debt I owe him. I ... knew your mother before we came to Hogwarts. We were friends and your father took her from me."

"Oh sir!" Harry had visions of Hermione being stolen from him by Ron and giving birth to an endless stream of red-haired children with no table manners and had an urge to sink his fist in Ron's face. "I can see why you hated him."

"He was also a bully," said Snape, harshly. "But you have come to me and offered an unspecified amount of a valuable resource to a poor man who has not treated you well. I can swallow my hatred of your father, and vassalage might go some way to pay the life debt."

"Oh, but surely you cancelled that in my first year when you saved my life on the broom?" said Harry. "I'd certainly count that paid, though I don't know a lot about life debts."

Snape laughed harshly and weakly as a glow of magic around them sealed the cancellation of the life debt.

"Then I'll offer it to ask your protection," he said. "I'm not an idiot, even if Fudge is. Do you realise he's essentially emancipated you?"

"Yes, Dobby told me the magic told all the elves," said Harry. "Which is why I'm betrothed to Hermione, to protect her."

"You're going to put her down here, aren't you?" said Snape. "No, don't answer that, if I don't know I can't tell anyone."

"That's good of you, sir," said Harry. "Hermione wanted to be instructed how to harvest a basilisk."

Snape sighed.

"Of course she did," he said, with heavy sarcasm. "I had visions of a smaller beast; this is more than I can handle. I strongly suggest involving the goblins, who will also be ready to dispose of the items for you at good profit for their own percentage in that. Also they will buy the flesh as a delicacy to eat. How much had you considered to be a share for me to use?"

"I was thinking half and half, sir," said Harry.

"Potter, have you any idea how much this is worth? You must be more out of your mind than usual."

"I have no idea what it's worth, sir," said Harry. "I was hoping my share would yield enough to give those who were petrified a few thousand galleons."

"A carcass this size is probably worth about a million galleons," said Snape."

"Really, sir? That would really help them to pay for any private mind healer and tutors to catch up," said Harry, pleased.

"Mr. Potter! Do not give everything away all the time! You might be like Lily, but that is going too far; Lily was generous but she was shrewd as any other northerner," said Snape, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Assign me ten percent and I'll still have more potions ingredients than I can use in my lifetime. And as your vassal," he said with brief malice, "it will be your responsibility to care for me in my dotage if I am indigent."

Harry laughed.

"I'd be happy with alliance," he said. "I take care of anyone I feel is someone I'm responsible for, and if this snake is worth that much, I could do so."

Severus Snape pondered.

"You are aware you are one of the five richest men in the Wizarding world, aren't you?" he said.

"Oh, no, sir, I have a vault which is enough to put me through school without worrying, but I'm not rich, whatever Ronald says," said Harry.

"Unless your father squandered the whole family fortune maintaining the Order of the Phoenix, which I doubt, because he wasn't an idiot, however much I hate him, then you own several houses, a number of business interests and at least a family vault as well as your trust vault which is there for your school needs," he said. "If your father was that much of a fool, well at least the basilisk will be a start towards rebuilding the family fortunes. You are right, I am uncomfortable with a vassalage as I already am torn apart with two masters."

"How do you assess your usefulness as a spy?"

"It saved a few lives by being able to give warning. But to be honest? Limited. Dumbledore likes to try to second guess Tom Riddle but I'm not sure if what I do, what he's expecting me to have to return to doing is enough. He ... Riddle ... casts the Cruciatus to remind his loyal followers who is in charge as well as for punishment. I can't say I've been looking forward to it while Albus sits there, bouncing off the ceiling with sugar poisoning twinkling like a madman at me in assuring me I will be protecting Lily's son."

Harry nodded.

"Thank you for your honesty, sir. We'll need to come up with a plan to circumvent that when he does come back. You said the mark is getting stronger, is this damned competition anything to do with it?"

"More than likely," said Snape. "The only reason I can think of to return to spying is so I'm not targeted as Karkaroff will be ... as well as keeping Dumbledore sweet."

Harry frowned.

"If you can handle it and keep both quiet then do what you need to stay safe. I don't see why you should be forced into this for making a stupid teenage mistake. I guess he was a smooth talker first time round."

"He flattered me. I didn't have to go through the usual initiation rituals of killing someone because he was so desperate for a potions master. I've killed people since, to keep cover."

"I'm not exactly free of blood on my hands either, am I?" said Harry, bitterly. "I killed Quirrel. And whatever the headmaster says, I do feel guilty about that. Suppose he could have been rescued from possession?"

"He chose to be possessed," said Snape. "Unlike you, who did not choose to be the subject of a prophecy, which I do not know in full, nor to be the vessel for a soul fragment. If I am to fool him, we need to get rid of it."

"It's a soul fragment? That sounds ... dark."

"Get over yourself, Potter, he's called the Dark Lord for a reason," snapped Snape.

"Oh, right. Was the diary one?"

"I think so."

"I stabbed that with a basilisk tooth. I presume you have a bezoar on hand?" asked Harry, reaching up to pull out another tooth.

"Potter, are you ... yes you are insane," said Snape as Harry plunged the tooth into his scar. He screamed and writhed as a dark cloud exited. Snape started chanting, and the face of Voldemort in the cloud screamed a thin scream and scattered into dust. Snape sprang forward and pulled the tooth out of Harry's head, fumbling for a bezoar. It would not cure basilisk poison but it might keep the boy alive until he could get him to Fawkes ...

Harry's eyes opened and he grinned.

"How about that?" he said. "I appear to be immune to basilisk venom everywhere but the scar."

"Potter you almost gave me a heart attack," said Snape. "You are ... yes, of course you are all right or else you'd not be talking by now. Don't ever do that without warning me first."

"It's ok, I made a will and left everything I own to Hermione, including the basilisk with the rider that you had first dibs as soon as anyone found a parselmouth," said Harry. "Oh, hell, I wonder if I still am?"

"A little late to worry about that," said Severus.

Harry hissed at the door of the basilisk's hibernation chamber and it opened.

"That answers that then," he said.

"It also puts paid to the headmaster's theory that you got your power from Riddle," said Snape. "Either it's a secret Potter power that was kept dark, or your mother inherited the latent talent along with her magic. The Potter grimoire and your family diaries should tell you that, and they at least will be in the family vault. Now, would you like me to negotiate with the goblins regarding this as I have some idea of its value?"

"Would you, please? Is there some official position I could say you are as my negotiator?"

"I ... would be pleased to be your family steward."

"Good, you are my steward, I'll put it in writing for Griphook," said Harry.

"He is your account manager?"

"I suppose so; he took me to my vault," said Harry.

Severus rolled his eyes and did not trouble to hide the childish expression.

"I also need to educate Lord Potter in his role in the world." He said. "Who was your magical guardian when you were growing up?"

"Nobody, Aunt Petunia hates magic," said Harry. "If you knew my mum before school, you must have met her."

"Oh, yes, I've met Petunia," said Snape. "Really, what was Albus doing? And then setting you up in the first year."

"Wait, what?"

"We have a lot to discuss, Lord Potter, but not now, we have already been gone too long," said Snape. "I will negotiate with the goblins at the weekend and tell them how your education has been neglected so they do not take offence over your offhand usage of them. And in the holidays we will harvest this basilisk."

"Thank you, sir."

"Lord Potter, I call you sir."

"No, sir that's not right. You are my teacher. In the holidays we can renegotiate terms of address out of school."

"Very well, _Mister_ Potter, we will explore your Slytherin tendencies at a later date."

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Hermione took herself down to the chamber when Harry opened it, much impressed by the addition of stairs and lights. They went down before anyone else was up, the morning before the second task was scheduled. Dobby had purchased and set up a deluxe tent, and Hermione squealed with delight to find a fully appointed bathroom. She had not been looking forward to either smelling or having to squat in a corner for her toilet needs. She hugged Dobby, who was much embarrassed. He served them both a full breakfast, and Harry was finally able to tell Hermione in privacy all that Snape and he had discussed. Snape was now wearing the Potter steward ring, disillusioned as were Harry's and Hermione's rings which Dobby had presented to them. Apparently the former manager of the Potter account had permitted certain liberties like giving Dumbledore the keys, and Snape had told Ragnok, who had personally apologised for the oversights, that Lord Potter had requested Griphook as his personal account manager.

Griphook would do anything for Harry for that profitable promotion, and a team would be sent to help harvest the basilisk for a reasonable fee over the Easter Holidays. Snape had given Harry a detention for breathing too loud in order to impart this information. Thus, Harry was now aware just who Ragnok was, and something about Goblin politics and customs. He was also better instructed about who Lord Potter was and what his responsibilities might be.

He reflected that he had deserved the rebuke from Snape for rolling his eyes; he couldn't have it both ways, with the privilege of being emancipated came responsibility.

And he now also had a better idea of why he wanted to use that to irritate a man whom Snape swore was a good man, but rather careless of the lives and happiness of individuals, because Snape had laid out how Dumbledore had been pretty sure Quirrel had been at least an agent of Voldemort's, and that the traps had been risible for any adult wizard. He also told Harry that he, Snape, had postulated to Dumbledore that the occupant of the Chamber was a basilisk right after Mrs. Norris had been petrified, and Dumbledore had waved aside his concerns and had muttered about seeing what young Harry made of it.

"And at that point my magic exploded, Hermione," Harry told his betrothed. "Snape had to give me a calming draught. It could have been stopped early in November if only Dumbledore had listened to Snape, it seems the old man despises everyone."

"And I always thought he was the wisest, brightest and best of all," said Hermione, shocked.

"As Snape said, the head of Slytherin's own house knows what was supposed to be Salazar Slytherin's familiar," said Harry. "He was busy looking for an entrance on his own, as he had no support. He was furious when he was proved to be right, and the headmaster did not even credit him. He was a bit snarky then, and said that rather than following spiders, because I told him something of our adventures, he would solve future problems by following us."

"That could almost be creepy."

"Well, I said to him that if he was going to be a teacher to whom we could bring deductions and conclusions without being patted on the head and told not to worry about it, he wouldn't need to follow us because we'd be upfront about things."

"How did he react to that?"

"I think he was torn over whether to place me in detention for the rest of my school life for cheek or pleased to be trusted," said Harry. "He's actually quite good company when he kills Mr. Bitter Potter Hater. And I meant it; McGonagall has let us down too many times."

Hermione looked conflicted, but nodded. It was undeniable that McGonagall had blown them off over the philosopher's stone, and had been no support at all when Harry had been accused of being the Heir. She had been of no use at all over the 'Potter Stinks' badges either. It pained Hermione not to look up to authority figures, but her faith in adults had taken a serious blow.

"Harry, does magic erode a sense of responsibility from people?" she asked.

"How do you mean?" asked Harry.

"In muggle schools, well fee paying ones, anyway, the level of bullying that goes on here would not be allowed. It's so blatant! I know a lot of bullying happens, which is blinked at, because I've been through it, but there is more oversight of students. And the ministry! Look at the stationing of dementors on the train and in Hogsmeade last year, the failure to give Padfoot a trial, and that's something you can bring up in the Wizengamot now you can either take a seat or appoint a proxy."

"Yes, I can," said Harry. "I'd appoint Snape if I didn't want to protect him from both sides, and nobody will take Moony seriously. I have so much to learn, and I want you to catch me up on runes and arithmancy as well so I can change electives; I was a fool to follow Ron, and Snape has told me so, as is his 'duty as my steward to rebuke me for neglect of my duties' of all things. He enjoyed that, he had a broad grin on his face which was scarier than when a goblin smiles."

"He's right though."

"I know. Well, this damned competition at least permits me to slink off into odd corners so maybe I can start catching up."

"Yes, and you'd better get back to Gryffindor Tower before you're missed."

"Yes, best not to have both of us missed."

Hermione scoffed.

"They won't miss me; they'll assume I'm in the library."

"I suppose that's a fair point, and it's what we are relying on," sighed Harry, getting up to make his way back to Griffindor Tower in time to join the others on their way to breakfast.

He was waylaid by Ginny.

"How's my favourite Triwizard Champion now he's managed to lose the bushy-haired leech?" she asked.

Harry regarded her coldly.

"I have no idea which of the three is your favourite, and I certainly don't know what you mean by what sounded like a very mean remark," he said.

"Harry, you are my favourite champion, who else?" said Ginny.

"You should go to Madam Pomfrey about these delusions," said Harry. "I'm not a Triwizard Champion, I'm the poor mutt forced to compete by an incompetent Headmaster who hid the book which would have allowed me to get out of it right up to the first task." He added this loudly enough for the rest of the Gryffindors to overhear.

"I bet you hid the book so nobody suggested it," said Ron.

"Ronald, are you suggesting I would really be so unaware of my family duties to risk the last of a noble and ancient line?" asked Harry. "Not to mention my own skin, which I'm fond of. When I find out who put my name in, I'll be having the culprit for line theft, and as I strongly suspect the headmaster of having his little joke at my expense the same as he did in the first year over the Philosopher's stone, since he's already guilty of attempted line theft in placing me in an unsafe environment when I was orphaned, I expect it will stick."

"You shouldn't show your hand Heir Potter," said Neville.

"I want him to sweat," said Harry in an undertone, as he saw that his words had reached Minerva McGonagall.

"Mr. Potter, you cannot throw about unfounded accusations; if you do so again I shall have to take points," said McGonagall.

"If they were unfounded, ma'am, you would have every right," said Harry. "But you know where I was left. You are deputy head so you know I've never had a full medical at school to check for old injuries. You know I come back every year malnourished. You aided and abetted the headmaster's manipulations in getting me to go after Quirrelmort. And if I find out that you know who put my name in the goblet, my solicitors will be serving you with notice of prosecution too."

"Harry! How can ye think sich of me?"

"Because you have continually lied to me, Ma'am. You told us our houses are our families, but you've never been family to me, never stood up for Hermione being bullied, nor me, in fact you've gone out of your way to make sure I know that you dislike and mistrust me by refusing to take my word over anything. And, Madam McGonagall, I do not make you free with my given name, it's Lord Potter to you since Fudge saw fit to emancipate me by insisting I take part in this lunacy, validated by no less than the head of the Wizengamot in his role as Headabuser."

There were collective gasps. Minerva McGonagall stared aghast.

"You cannot believe that!" she managed.

"I know I am Lord Potter; I have been sent confirmation by Gringott's," said Harry. "I believe what my eyes and other senses tell me. I believe I have enough evidence to be able to overthrow my contract to stay at Hogwarts, as the school has failed to do its side of the contract in keeping me safe. I will be submitting documentation as soon as the competition is over to allow me to leave Hogwarts with my betrothed, and seek education elsewhere."

"Betrothed?" McGonagall gasped.

"Hermione Granger, the future Lady Potter. You do know the penalties for jeopardising the betrothed of a head of house, don't you?" said Harry. "Especially the betrothed of the last of a line."

McGonagall looked as though she was going to faint, and turned on her heel to leave.

"About time you took on your proper role, Harry mate," said Neville.

"Nobody bothered to explain it before," said Harry. "And now I've found out, they are wondering why it's coming round to bite them on the arse."

"Hermione can't be your betrothed! You're going to marry me!" screeched Ginny.

"Yeah, and I'm to marry Hermy for hybrid vigour, and to keep her pregnant so she can't go on about the mental things she talks about like muggleborn rights," said Ron. "Mum said so."

"If that is the intention of the Weasley family you are one step away of blood feud with the Potter family," said Harry, dangerously. "Restrain your sister, please, she needs a calming draught, and I don't want to have to scrape her off my leg."

"Harry, mate,"

"Or Lord Potter,"

"We had no idea of Ronald and Ginevra's intentions,"

"And though it's one way to call our sister a bitch,"

"She is our sister and we don't like it."

"Then I suggest you take her away and explain that I have no intention of marrying silly little fan girls who don't even know me. I accept that she owes me a life debt but there are other ways to acknowledge that than prostituting herself to me. I am sick of her mooning over me, and I've not been much in the common room to escape it," said Harry, coldly.

Fred and George winced. It was true; Ginny was all over Harry like a rash given half a chance.

Ron was winding up into a rage and he drew his wand and cast a spell at Harry's back. It bounced.

Ron went down with a cry of pain, clutching his wand wrist.

Snape swooped.

"Weasley! Thirty points from Gryffindor for attacking the back of a fellow student, and attempting a spell like that on the last of a noble and ancient house," he hissed.

"What did Potter do to him?" demanded Seamus.

Snape rounded on him.

" _Lord Potter_ did nothing you idiot; his House ring protected him from malice. And Weasley is lucky to be inept enough in his spellcasting that he did not try anything that would kill him. Now take him to the hospital wing, and explain to Pomphrey in words of one syllable that this is a reflected spell."

Dean and Seaumus levitated Ron and took him away.

"Harry my boy, I am most disappointed in you." Dumbledore had come over.

"Well, headmaster, it appears we feel the same about each other," said Harry, smiling. "I can't twinkle at you, I'm afraid, but please take the thought for the deed. Good day to you," and he nodded to Dumbledore and walked out.

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"Where is Miss Granger?" McGonagall asked when they assembled for Transfiguration in the afternoon.

"She said she could not attend, and asked me to hand in her assignment," said Harry, passing over Hermione's assignment with his own.

"Did she say where she was going to be?" asked McGonagall.

"She said nothing about it to me," said Harry. "Only that it was about having been refused permission by her parents to take part in any dangerous competition. As her betrothed, I endorse her parents' view, and as her betrothed who is of age, I am her automatic magical guardian." He smiled brightly.

McGonagall went ashen.

Later, Lavender approached Harry.

"Look, Harry, you can tell me where Hermione is; the Headmaster wants to see her," she said.

"He can carry on wanting," said Harry coolly. "Lavender, you are a pureblood. Do you really want to be an accessory to the attempted harm of the betrothed of an ancient and noble house?"

Lavender went white.

"No, but ... but surely the headmaster would not harm Hermione?"

"Are you really so sure? To risk anyone's life by putting them in the black lake in February seems pretty irresponsible to me. And he likes to control me. If she accidentally died, he could push his choice of bride at me."

"You're paranoid."

"Hell, yes; it's why I'm still alive. Quirrellmort, Basilisk, Dementors, Dragons, are you joining the dots yet to find a picture of why I'm paranoid?"

Lavender looked very thoughtful.

"I guess," she said. "I suppose you haven't seen Ron since he got out of the hospital wing?"

"Fortunately, no," said Harry.

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The champions and Harry gathered outside on the shores of the black lake. The others wore bathing costumes under bath robes and were already shivering. Harry was in warm clothes with a heavy cloak. He had sent Dobby to check on Hermione already and Dobby was staying with her to pop her away if anyone tried to kidnap her, or if any of her books or clothes became a portkey.

"Harry my boy, you can't swim in that costume," said Dumbledore jovially.

"Why on earth should I be swimming? I don't even know how to swim and I'm certainly not going into the lake in February," said Harry. "I'm not suicidal, and I said before and I'll say again I will be charging whoever put my name into that goblet with attempted line theft, and if it gets me killed, my betrothed will charge them with actual line theft. I will be adding you and Minister Fudge to those charges for failing to find me a way out. And please refer to me as Lord Potter or at least as Mister Potter. I don't want you to use my given name."

"My dear boy, if you don't compete you risk losing your magic."

"I might. Or you might, or whoever put me in," said Harry. "It would be interesting to see who it is, wouldn't it? As the ultimate in loco parentis, my money is on it being you who loses the magic, even if you didn't put my name in which I strongly suspect you of doing as another little test."

Dumbledore paled.

"I swear on my magic and my life I did not put your name in," he said, drawing his wand. The gold oath magic surrounded him, and he cast his phoenix patronus.

"Fair enough; I apologise for suspecting you," said Harry. "You might have had me feeling more kindly disposed to you if you'd done that a bit earlier in the year, however."

"Why, Ha ... Mister Potter, it never occurred to me that you would suspect me," said Dumbledore.

Harry laughed.

"Really? With your track record?" he said. "I wouldn't believe your unsupported word if you told me Voldemort was waiting to give me the cup, though I suspect something like that is what's lined up."

"I am terribly disappointed that you should feel that way, my boy," said Dumbledore.

"Yeah, well, we've been there, and you know your disappointment is nothing on mine," shrugged Harry. "I am going to compete; the thing I would miss most is my Firebolt, so when the competition starts, I will cast the summoning spell for it. And if it doesn't work under water, well, I will have to give up quidditch for the year, oh wait, we've already had quidditch stolen from us this year. Damn, what a disappointment."

"I'm afraid it's more serious than that, my dear boy," said Dumbledore. "The object you'll miss most is your best friend, Ronald Weasley."

"Out of touch, aren't you?" said Harry. "I won't miss Ronald at all. Indeed as he tried to kill me yesterday, which apparently you ignored, he can drown for all I care."

"You cannot mean that!" Dumbledore was shocked.

"Why not? So far as I see you want me to kill Voldemort because he wants to kill me. Why should I act any differently with anyone who wants to kill me?"

"He doesn't want to kill you, my boy, he was shocked because he is in love with Miss Granger, surely you understand that?"

"No, I don't. Ronald Weasley is in love with Ronald Weasley and his suggestions for my betrothed almost got a blood feud called on his house by mine. Only my fondness for Arthur and the twins held me back."

"But you love Molly!"

"Hmm, the woman who suggested keeping my muggleborn betrothed in her place and pregnant, the same woman who sent my betrothed a howler on unsubstantiated ground of a Rita Skeeter article? No, I don't think I like a woman who is all smiles to someone's face and goes behind their back.. Can we get on with this? The real champions must be freezing, I'm chilly myself."

The competition got underway, and Harry wandered up to the edge of the lake.

"Accio Ronald Weasley," he said. "There, I've competed and given it my best shot. Bye." And he headed for the castle.

"What kind of a namby pamby are you, Potter?" sneered Moody.

"Two kinds, professor," said Harry. "First, a fourteen year old one; second, a live one. Constant vigilance!"

"I can't fault that," ground out the false Moody, unwillingly.

If the boy was turning against Dumbledore he might even be a good follower of his lord.

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Harry had already packeted up the jumpers Molly had knitted for him, and scrupulously worked out the sale value of all the food she had sent him, and sent it back to the Burrow, where it should arrive later this day, with a note explaining that whilst he could not have anything more to do with a family which both disrespected his betrothed and encouraged their daughter to have unrealistic aspirations, he did not wish the family to be out of pocket as a result of their former actions however suspect those actions might have become in light of the probable reasons behind encouraging him to consider the Weasleys as family. Arthur probably was innocent of manipulation but Harry had gone through every interaction with Molly and was coming to the conclusion that she wanted her daughter to be Lady Potter, and Hermione and Ron were to be sacrificed to each other to keep Hermione from realising which of her friends was actually the one who was smart enough for her. Arthur, reading the letter, winced, and physically restrained Molly from sending a Howler, especially over the things Ron, who needed to be retrieved from the lake by the merfolk, said.

"Mollywobbles, I love you, but sometimes you throw the stinging hex so fast it hits you in the foot," said Arthur. "Why should Harry see Ginny as a romantic object? Hermione has a prior claim on him if life debts led to that, which they need not. If it is true what Lord Potter writes that you have told Ron basically that he is to keep Hermione barefoot and pregnant, we are lucky not to be under feud. Sending a howler might just be enough for him. You are always going on at Ron about consequences; learn about them yourself. Harry feels hurt and betrayed, and betrayed by people he has seen as family. You _will_ be supportive of his choice of betrothed, you will _not_ spread any malicious slanders, and you will keep quiet. And maybe we might return to being in an alliance with House Potter, which is not hardly likely as things stand."

"But my Ginny is hurt!" wailed Molly. "That mudblood bitch fed him love potions, I know she did, it said so in Witch Weekly!"

"And last year it ran an article saying that all our boys were fathered by different men in your life when you pissed off Lucius Malfoy," said Arthur. "Yes, I confiscated that copy, but it's what it said. Just because Witch Weekly says something doesn't make it true. Harry and Hermione have been close since he saved her from the troll, and believe me, Ron was not the hero of the hour he made himself out to be, because I had the whole story from Percy."

"Oh, Percy."

"Yes, your third son; the reliable one," said Arthur. "Who has never shown a capacity for untruth, which I fear Ron has. Now calm down and I'll ask if I can talk to the twins."

"And you believe those troublemakers?"

"They do not tell deliberate, direct untruths," said Arthur.

Meanwhile, when Hermione emerged in the morning, Ginny went for her with nails and spells. Hermione's ring gave her some protection, and the twins jumped Ginny.

"Apologies, Lord Potter," said George.

"No apologies from you, necessary," said Harry. "However, for someone owing a life debt to deliberately try to harm the person she owes the debt to, I believe magic has severe consequences."

The twins paled.

"I don't know what you mean!" screeched Ginny. "I'm trying to save you from that harpy!"

"Harpy. Hmm screeching unpleasant women," said Harry. "I think that fits you, Ginny; I am glad I had a lucky escape, I think if I was married to you I'd commit suicide. Your father is a braver man than I am. But you are harming me by attacking my betrothed. And I will leave it to your brothers to find out what magic requires for you to redeem yourself."

"Blimey, Harry, mate, I've got a horrid feeling she has to be bound to you to be your slave with the same curses as a house elf," said George.

"That punishes me more than her," said Harry.

"You just think you can have everything," said Ron.

"Yeah, sure, I have everything," said Harry. "I have the weak ankle from where my cousin pushed me down the stairs, I have the nightmares from remembering seeing my parents killed, I have the fear of the dark for having had to sleep in the cupboard under the stairs until I was eleven, I have the short height and poor bone density from malnutrition, because the great thing I have is the ability to go without meals for three or four days at a time because I've had to, I bet you'd love that, Ronald. Oh, and the broken ribs, the scars on my back, because my Uncle Vernon thinks Voldemort is a jolly good chap who should have finished me off when he had the chance. Now I'm finding out what I can have, and it involves a bit of happiness in picking someone who I love and who loves me, suddenly you want to take that from me? Isn't being treated by a house elf by my relatives enough for you? You want to take away my beloved and make it so I'm depressed enough to let Voldemort kill me with this competition? Do you support him, Ronald? Do you have aspirations to take the dark mark like Gryffindor's own Peter Pettigrew who was a nasty, sly, jealous, greedy little tick just like you? Did years of sleeping with him rub off on you?"

His tone remained mostly level rising only at the end.

Ron stared, and burst into tears.

"Harry ... I'm sorry," he said.

"If you mean that, I will forgive you," said Harry. "But it's too late to be best mates again. And I will always be waiting for you to mess up again until you prove that you won't."

"I mean it. I'm sorry," said Ron.

Harry nodded.

The twins heaved sighs of relief.

Ron was absolutely horrified that Harry saw him like Wormtail. It was to be a turning point in his selfish, shallow life.

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The harvesting of the basilisk was exciting at first, and increasingly tedious as it went on, but Harry and Hermione knew better than to complain. The knowledge they were gaining would be written into Harry's family grimoire and the new grimoire for Hermione to hand down to her daughters which Severus Snape had got for her, and helped her enchant to that those not of her blood would receive minor curses from it.

Hermione had not been happy about the idea that some books were not available to all, and Severus fetched his old potions book.

"I used this as a grimoire of sorts," he said. "It's not enchanted and it should be, and I shall be enchanting it. In it is the muffliatus spell I have taught you both. I learned, the hard way, that a spell written down can be used against you. I invented a spell which hangs people in the air by the ankle, really as a way of keeping someone in place until a teacher could deal with it. It was discovered by bullies, who used it on me, and commented on my ...ragged clothing under my robes, and fired stinging hexes at my bare legs. And because I wasn't a very nice little boy because of those bullies, I invented a cutting curse which needs a specific counter. Do you think everyone should have access to that if they hadn't read on to find the counter?"

"Shouldn't such spells be eradicated?" asked Hermione.

"Possibly, but suppose the form of it proved useful for some other purpose? I've used a variant on it to cut shallow cuts and expel the poison of doxy bites from a badly bitten student."

"I see, I think," said Hermione.

"Very well, let me take another example of a book you might think should be kept secret," said Severus. Granger could be irritating but he had given his loyalty to House Potter and she counted as part of it. "You open a book. It says, " _This is the diary of Hermione Jean Granger. Oof, my period was really bad today, my belly really ached and Susan Bones had to walk behind me because I bled right through my robes. It's making me really horny and I kept wondering what_ ..."

"Please sir, too much imagination!" squealed Hermione.

"EWW, sir, how do you know so much about such things?" asked Harry.

"I'm a house head, I have little girls crying all over me because it's their first time and their dunderhead mothers haven't explained it to them, and they are scared to leave their beds and go to see Poppy," said Severus. "And I'm afraid I have seen the odd diary left lying around and open, and as I cannot sear the image from my own eyes I thought I'd make someone else miserable too."

"Girls are scary," said Harry.

"Harry James Potter," said Hermione.

"Not you, Mione, I know you wouldn't write drivel like that," said Harry, quickly. Hermione regarded him thoughtfully.

She did not keep a diary but Professor Snape had come dangerously close to some of her thoughts, and she knew that Tracey Davis had been in tears and Daphne Greengrasse had walked close behind her one day the previous year, which accounted for that part.

He was moderately human really, she acknowledged. He was also looking at her with a bit of a smirk, and she blushed.

Perhaps it was then quite normal to be horny at that time and think inappropriate thoughts about one's boyfriend.

She concentrated on writing out methodology in her newly warded grimoire.

Harry's scar, by now, had healed completely, which had the headmaster peering at it worried. You'd think he would be glad, thought Harry, resentfully.

He remembered to ask Severus.

"What is it with the Head frowning at how well my head is healing?" he asked.

"He does mean well," said Severus, "But I fear he has the idea that you, as the final horcrux, as you would have been if he had his way, have to get rid of it by having another killing curse thrown at you by Riddle, and then you might, or might not, be alive without it."

"Has he gone senile?" asked Harry.

Severus sighed.

"He's a tight-arsed, self-righteous, manipulating old control freak," he said. "He is cleverer than most of the population, which isn't saying much, so when he meets those of us who are actually cleverer than he is, he fails to take it into account, because his world view does not accept that the opinions of others could have any value or validity. The trouble with Albus is that he doesn't want to be troubled with the facts as he has already made up his mind. I believe all the games and puzzles he's aiming at you are to train his pet monkey just well enough to seek out other horcruces, and destroy them before ultimately appearing at the centre of the maze as a sacrifice."

"And you say he's good?"

"His intent is good; don't confuse the two. He has no idea how some of his methods come distinctly close to the dark path," said Severus, shrugging. "And he'd not believe anyone who told him so, which is why I haven't bothered. If he had ill intent, the phoenix would have left him. I handle Albus by letting him think he has manipulated me, and I manipulate back. You might want to consider it. You were bravely Gryffindor in outing his manipulations, and I don't say I didn't enjoy every horrified look on his face and on Minnie's, er, Madam McGonagall's, that is. But if you let him think he's won you back, you will get more out of him. The other horcruces have to be destroyed, after all, and letting him sit on the information is not helpful. We don't want him deciding you have gone dark."

Harry sighed.

"Oh well, having my say and getting the rise out of him was bloody good fun, but I suppose I can see that if I want to keep on living, I sort of need his support. I wonder what he would do if we did up sticks and go to Beauxbatons or Salem or somewhere else?"

"He'd fall apart, but unfortunately, I think Britain would too," said Severus. "Like it or not, you're a figurehead for people to believe in."

"I don't like it at all, and it's all this boy-who-was-hyphenated crap which led to Ginny being a pain in the first place," said Harry.

"Language," said Severus, mildly. "Molly and Arthur came to see Dumbledore because her magic is unstable."

"I didn't save her life for her to attack my girl," said Harry.

"You saved her life because she was another person in danger," said Severus. "I suspect you'd have done it even if it had been Draco."

"Yeah, I guess I would," said Harry.

" _WHY_ can't teens manage a simple 's' on the end of yes?" asked Severus, waspishly. "You'd think a parselmouth wouldn't forget a tiny hiss when appropriate."

Harry chuckled.

"I didn't grow up with the best linguistic exemplars," he said.

"No, I suppose not. You could probably cure Miss Weasley if you declared you were cursed by prophecy to save everyone so no life debts counted."

"The question is, do I want to?" said Harry. "Living as a muggle isn't so terrible. I considered bucking the goblet and seeing if I lost my magic because if I did, I still have a chance to catch up on muggle schooling, and though I love magic, I think I love my self-integrity more."

"That's because you're a Gryffindor," said Severus. "Though I confess in your shoes, I might have been angry enough to push the envelope just to see what happened."

"I've enjoyed the rebellion. I've got my majority out of it and the best girl in the world. She had the idea to make an alliance with you and although we are still tiptoeing around each other I think we can do a lot for each other. I've learned a lot from you and that has brought me respect from purebloods who have been antsy at me not knowing how to be polite. I'm even able to pass the time of day civilly with Draco and had the amusement of him turning purple in the effort not to insult the betrothed of a noble and ancient house. But I'm ready to move on and will take your instruction, sir, in how to survive Dumbledore. I am planning on taking a token part in the third task, which rumour has it is a maze, and not springing the trap which is laid. Is that too paranoid?"

"It sounds very sensible to me," said Severus. "I won a packet from McGonagall because I bet that Mr. Potter was sick of being used and would do no more than make minimal effort. She would have it that one of her lions was stupid enough, not that she put it that way, to do his best regardless of his tender years and involuntary inclusion."

"Are you supposed to tell us things like that, sir?" asked Hermione.

"Oh, house steward reporting to his lord and lady," said Severus.

Hermione eyed him sternly.

"You are enjoying getting a rise out of people quite as much as Dobby is," she said.

"Yes, Miss Granger; I don't believe I've ever had so much entertainment at Hogwarts," said Severus.

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Remus brought his dog as Harry's family and they walked out to the black lake.

"Padfoot, you are not going to like this, but you are going to put up with it because I've done what I had to in order to survive," said Harry, when they got to a place where Sirius could transform.

"Yes, I was disappointed you didn't take the second challenge," said Sirius.

"Sirius, I can't swim. My cousin tried to drown me. You saying that is a bit like me saying I'm disappointed you haven't gone to visit your cousin Bellatrix in Azkaban," said Harry, coldly. "You haven't been there for me as a godfather, not entirely through your own fault, so I'm taking what help I can. I've come to an accommodation with Snape and made him my steward."

Sirius leaped up and lowered over Harry.

"What? You picked Snivellus when you could have had Moony?"

"Sure, I could talk to Moony any time in the castle and get him to run errands to the goblins for me," said Harry. "You could make him your steward of course, so House Black gets run. Snape has been helping me sort out how to get you a trial because he's grown up. Are you going to?"

Sirius growled.

"Dobby!" Harry called.

"Dobby is here!"

"I'm frightened; take me away," said Harry. Dobby popped him away, and then for good measure went back and bowled Sirius into the lake.

It wasn't any too warm even in summer.

"Well you blew that," said Remus.

"Yes, but how can he trust Snivellus?" whined Sirius.

"I trusted Severus with my life every month," said Remus. "And Harry has been sending me wolfsbane every month since just before the second task. I think he's paying Severus to make it. It makes my life much easier. Severus is difficult to get on with but he is a decent man who has his problems. Live with it. Just remember, if he has the steward's ring, if he even thinks of betraying Harry, it will kill him."

Sirius brightened.

"Do you think we could come up with ways of making him consider it?" he said.

Remus slapped him across the back of the head.

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Harry Potter walked into the maze, fourth of four owing to his low marks in the second task, and sat down. He used muggle hair gel, and sent up sparks.

Madam McGonagall came in at a run.

"Mr. Potter, what is it?" she asked, concerned.

"I have a hangnail; I can't go on, it might snag my robes and spoil my image," said Harry, who had tortured his hair into some semblance of Lockhart's style.

"Aren't you even going to try?" asked McGonagall.

"Are you kidding, ma'am?" said Harry. "How many times do I have to say this? The rest have studied magic for three more years than me formally, and being purebloods or of the wizarding world, actually they have thirteen years more magic training than I have had. No magical guardian teaching me the things you take for granted, remember? And besides that I did not put my name in, I am still mightily put out that a book with information which could have got me out disappeared until after the first task when it became moot, and I have no intention of letting someone manipulate me into being at the winning point, which is presumably a trap. And that means it has been set by one of four people. Albus Dumbledore, who actually I'm inclined to exonerate as he swore he did not put my name in; Minister Fudge; Ludo Bagman; or the new member of staff for the year in the duhn duhn duh _cursed_ position as DADA teacher, Alastor Moody, who is supposed to be a friend of our esteemed headmaster, and who might think he's doing him a favour, or might be doing it under instruction just so Dumbledore could make that oath to me."

"Now you are being paranoid."

"The hat wanted to put me into Slytherin and I think on the whole the options of Slytherin out of danger is more sensible than charging in like a dunderhead. You've ticked me off often enough about charging in without thinking. Please make up your mind."

"Well, you are being sensible," said Minerva. "I'm sorry, Harry, I can't think of you without remembering what a dear little baby you were, fearlessly chasing me on your trainer broom. I hate you being so formal. I used to be Aunt Minnie."

"I don't remember that. I remember being scoffed at over concerns about the awful things that have happened in school, and being the one told off when other people started a fight. I don't see an Aunt Minnie in the woman who looks at me as if I'm as bad as the Weasley twins."

"I suppose I expect you to be as bad as the Weasley twins," sighed Minerva. "Your father was quite a prankster."

"I've got a feeling the Weasleys never were as bad as my father in terms of bullying," said Harry. "They at least call for volunteers to test their products. Tales I've had from Padfoot and Moony and elsewhere aren't pretty."

"They did cross the line, but they grew up into fine men," said Minerva.

A mediwitch came in.

"How badly hurt is he?"

"I've sorted him out, but he's coming out," Minerva temporised.

Harry was not long out of the maze when there was a shout that Cedric had reached the cup first.

And then as he took hold of it on the viewing screen he vanished. There was a long silence.

"Where's my son?" demanded Amos Diggory.

And then Dobby was landing in front of the judges with a very scared Cedric.

"Bloody hell, Potter, thanks for having your elf put a tracker on the damn cup," he said. "It's You-Know-Who; he was trying to get a full size body. He was furious I wasn't Potter and I nearly got hit by the killing curse. The elf can take Aurors," he added.

Dobby seized Amelia Bones and Rufus Scrimgeour by the hand and disappeared.

Kingsley Shacklebolt gave a shout as Mad-Eye Moody began to change, and before he could follow a summons from the dark mark, Barty Crouch Junior was trussed up.

"But ... but he can't be back!" spluttered Fudge.

"Are you calling my son a liar?" demanded Amos Diggory.

"And why do I think that if it had been me, without a familial infrastructure to call duel on anyone who doubted my word, that I'd have been ridiculed?" said Harry, to nobody in particular. Hermione hugged him, and Severus and Minerva embarrassed each other by noticing that the other swiftly touched him on the shoulder.

Other Aurors were able to apparate to a DMLE apparation beacon set off by Amelia Bones, and it may be said that once the spectators and children had been hustled out of the way, one of the other aurors returned to tell Fudge that this incarnation of You-Know-Who had been destroyed but that if he had more lives than an alley cat, being wary would be sensible.

"Nonsense, it wasn't him at all," said Fudge.

"Have fun contradicting the Prophet tomorrow then, Minister," shrugged the Auror.

"It's a plot of Dumbledore's," said Fudge.

"Minister," said Harry.

The minister turned.

"What?" he snapped.

"I suspect letting things proceed may have been a plot of Dumbledore's but I don't think the basic plot was his," said Harry. "He's tried to trap the shade of Voldemort before, and he used me as bait for it last time, but this time I wasn't going to be used. You and I, Dumbledore thinks we are suckers, but I think we need him, so maybe we should just smile and nod?"

"How can You-Know Who come back? He died when he attacked you," said Fudge.

"I'm very good at eavesdropping, Minister," said Harry, "And I heard a word I didn't know, and that word was horcruces. I couldn't look it up in the school library but I've been told it's a soul anchor. You might want to see what the Unspeakables know. They surely are the best people to search for such things, not a headmaster?"

"Quite right, quite right," said Fudge. "Very well reasoned, my boy."

Harry smiled.

"How very Slytherin of you, Harry," said Hermione when Harry had escaped Fudge.

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Over the summer, Harry firmly occupied a Potter apartment in London, and attended the Wizengamot. As one of the death eaters captured was Wormtail, he asked for him to be questioned about who was the secret keeper, and soon Sirius was exonerated.

"What do you say about this ridiculous rumour that You-Know-Who can keep coming back?" demanded Adrian Parkinson in the wizengamot.

"I don't know much about it; I'm only a teenager," said Harry, smiling sweetly. "It's not really anything to do with me; I'm more concerned with my Uncle Sirius. Dealing with terrorists is the job of the truly grown up not those accidentally emancipated. I know he can come back one time less because Lucius Malfoy threw away one of his soul anchors, and let it get eaten by a basilisk," he added, brightly.

Dumbledore spluttered.

So did Lucius Malfoy, who had had no idea what the diary was.

The looks given to him by others suspected of being Death Eaters suggested that Lucius Malfoy would do well to start running, and stop about when he got to Alpha Centauri.

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"Lord Potter," said Arthur Weasley, "I wonder if I may have a moment of your time?"

"Of course, Mr. Weasley; I've never had a quarrel with you," said Harry.

Arthur sighed.

"Arthur, please. I understand Ronald finally understands," he said. "And though Ginny is beginning to understand, she won't apologise abjectly. She ... she is my little girl. I don't want her to lose her magic."

"And you want me to absolve the debt?"

"No, my lord, I'm not even sure if that is possible. I came upon an alternative to binding Ginny to you in indentured servitude, which ... which I would rather avoid."

"So would I," said Harry. He did not say that this was because it would be both weird and irritating; Arthur presumably loved his daughter.

"I thought that the best solution would be to offer you vassalage of my family," said Arthur.

"Perhaps you would care to explain that to me, and what it entails," said Harry.

"It means that we accept you as our feudal overlord; that all members of my family henceforth wear the Potter crest on the left arm showing vassalage, none shall marry without your consent, and you will have the rights to arrange a marriage the same way as you will have such rights for your own children. We must follow your lead, and support who you support, and come to your aid at your call. You could order me divorced, but I beg you not to. Molly has never really put aside her anger over the deaths of her brothers."

"So I could order her to see a mind healer, and Ginny too?"

"You could."

"Naturally in that circumstance I would pay for it," said Harry, and Arthur looked relieved. "What do the rest of your family think?"

"Bill says he can't see any other way round it. Charlie isn't happy but he will go with the majority decision. Percy considers it the only honourable solution and wants to know if he could be your steward or secretary."

"I have a steward, but a secretary would be useful. The goblins tell me I have a pile of misdirected mail somewhere. Tracking it down and organising subordinates to sort it would be something I can just leave Percy getting on with, because he's efficient. What of Molly and the younger ones?"

"I won't lie, Molly hated the idea but I think she's come round; she loves Ginny very much. I'm afraid Fred and George are likely to call you 'Milord Daddy' or something."

Harry shrugged.

"That's the twins, so long as they take it seriously and don't go against my family I can live with them being flippant. If Molly causes trouble, she will be divorcing you and being thrown out."

Arthur bowed his head.

"Understood," he said. "Ron seems to think it's a way he can atone for having made a monumental fool of himself. Ginny wants her magic to stop being so erratic."

Harry thought for a moment.

"If she decides to betray the vassalage, I suspect magic will make her a squib immediately," he said. "I have only one problem. You support Dumbledore strongly."

Arthur stared, his mouth open.

"You ... you do not support Dumbledore?"

"Arthur, let me tell you about Dumbledore's decisions about me," said Harry. He catalogued them swiftly.

Arthur swallowed.

"I see why you do not follow Dumbledore," he said, shakily. "Who then do you follow?"

"I follow the only person who has never let me down; me," said Harry. "I intend to work with Dumbledore against Voldemort, or rather, Tom Riddle. But I will require you and yours to keep my family secrets including my secret allies."

"Yes, of course," said Arthur.

"Very well, what do we do?"

"We need a bonder."

Harry nodded, and called for Dobby.

"Would you see if Severus, Sirius or Remus are free?" he asked.

"Dobby will check on Harry Potter sir's Snaky, Doggie and Wolfie," said Dobby. He was wearing a fairisle sweater Emma Granger had knitted him with the Potter crest on it, in gratitude to him for helping to keep Hermione safe. Harry had corresponded with, and then met the Grangers, and though they would not have chosen to have their daughter agree to an engagement at her age, Hermione had always shared everything that went on at Hogwarts, and keeping her safe from purebloods seemed reasonable, as she could dissolve the betrothal before she was 20, which Harry had stipulated as a date by which they were to be wed when he filed the paperwork.

It was Severus who Dobby brought.

"What can I do for you, my lord?" he asked.

"Arthur is taking vassalage as a family to save Ginny's magic," said Harry. "I need a binder."

Severus elevated an eyebrow.

"I see," he said. He tried not to smirk that he was an ally, not a vassal.

Arthur had brought the required wording, and paperwork to sign, and made the oath. Harry made his own oath, accepting the Weasley family as his vassals to protect. Severus wove the binding spell, and magic wrapped Arthur's and Harry's hands in blue bonds. All signed the papers, and Arthur took them to file on his way back to work. Harry shook his hand, and let his breath out in a whoosh when Arthur had gone.

"You handled that very well," said Severus.

"I think it helps Arthur keep face," said Harry. "He knows the situation with Dumbledore, it was part of the stipulation to accept that I made. I told him I want Molly and Ginny to see mind healers."

"That will be a challenge for the mind healer," said Severus.

"Probably, but maybe if Molly can come to terms with and then bury her grief over her brothers, the rest of us will be safe from Howlers," said Harry.

"Worth a try, I suppose," said Severus. "Though you should not be able to be sent them by a vassal anyway."

"I still have to listen to the ones she sends her sons," said Harry.

"Good point," said Severus. "I hear Fudge is actually saying you are a decent lad with proper respect; that little show of yours after the last task went down well. Word was he had half planned to send a government snoop to teach DADA but he vetoed that."

"Thank goodness for that," said Harry.

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Hermione had been busy while Harry was in the Wizengamot, using the British Library and the facilities of Somerset House, and she walked into the Ministry demanding to speak to an Unspeakable.

"And what can I do for the prospective Lady Potter?" asked the cloaked, masked figure.

"I expect that Mr. Fudge told you about horcruces that Tom Riddle, otherwise known as Voldemort, made," said Hermione. "I didn't know if you had anyone skilled in muggle research, and as he was a halfblood raised in a muggle orphanage, I've brought you a record of his life before Hogwarts."

Saul Croaker flicked through the sheets in the manila folder Hermione had stuffed full.

"There's a job waiting for you here when you leave school until you marry," he said.

"What about after?"

"Not all husbands let their wives work."

"Harry will," said Hermione. "His mother did."

Saul Croaker nodded.

"And an excellent Unspeakable she was too," he said.

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It was almost the end of the holidays when Harry asked Hermione, Sirius, Remus and Severus to join him for tea. He looked at them anxiously.

"We are going to manage grown-up here, aren't we?" he said. "I need to be able to share magical secrets."

"I have an excuse not to be grown up but I'll do my best," said Hermione, solemnly.

"I'm not going to shout at ... Lord Black," said Severus.

"I suppose so," said Sirius.

"Good. I bought one of these in Flourish and Blott's," said Harry, displaying a map.

"It's a standard map of wizarding Britain. So what?" said Padfoot.

"So it's already prepared to receive enchantment in allowing you to zoom in on any area," said Harry. "So it's going to take a runic array similar to the Marauder's Map."

"Pup! I'm disappointed in you for mentioning that in front of ..."

"In front of my steward who is trying to keep me alive? Let Dumbledore do the disappointed," snapped Harry.

"You could hardly map everyone in Britain, it would be too tangled," said Remus.

"I wasn't planning on doing so. I said 'similar' if anyone was actually listening."

"I think that's my line in class," murmured Severus. "We'll make a snarky Slytherin of you yet."

"Don't start," said Harry. "I was going to use my unique ability with Parseltongue to find the magical signature of Tom Riddle from Severus' mark, and work with you guys' ability with enchanting the map to see if we can't find bits of Tom Riddle."

Sirius opened and shut his mouth several times.

"Actually, that's brilliant," he managed.

"I rather liked it," said Harry.

"Would it show people with the mark too?" asked Severus.

"I think it might be managed," said Remus. "Cub, that will save a lot of searching."

"After I gave all that data to the Unspeakables too," said Hermione. "I still think it ought to be up to them."

"I'm not disagreeing," said Harry. "I'm fifteen, I have a good life and I plan to keep it. I thought we could just use the, er, fortuitous juxtaposition of our, er, disparate skill-sets and unique paradigms to give them a head start. And then they owe us."

"Snape, move away from my Godson, you're corrupting him with dictionary work," said Sirius.

They all laughed, even Severus when he realised Sirius was teasing him.

"The dictionary work is all my own, thanks," said Harry. "I've been trying to lose the ill-educated don't-care Harry who was trained into academic indolence to avoid beatings for looking better than Dudley, further groomed by Ron's laziness and my willingness to do anything to have a friend."

"I've sometimes thought Ron drove others away," said Hermione.

"He did," said Harry, grimly. "The other thing I wanted to share was that I had a visit from Molly. She's taking the vassalage seriously," he added as something of an uproar started. "Arthur took her to St Mungo's and they removed several loyalty charms from her. And then he had Ron and Ginny checked and they had some charms on them too. And then Dumbledore visited the Burrow, twinkling like Christmas tree lights, and asked her to brew a loyalty potion for Ron and Ginny to give me. He hinted a love potion too. Molly was furious, but with the treatment she's been getting already, she smiled mendaciously at him, and said she would do her best, and then flooed me."

"Well! That's a change for the better," said Sirius. "Your head of house ring ought to warn you of potions."

"House secret of noble and ancient, Sirius," said Harry. "Dumbledore is not a house which is either ancient or noble."

"I didn't know," said Severus. "It makes sense, however."

"We need to get you reinstated to the Prince line," said Sirius. "What, do you think that because I don't like you I can't work with you? I was furious at first when the pup told me you were his steward but I've been doing a lot of thinking, and now I'm a free man I'm not falling apart from insanity any more, and you've done well by him. I appreciate that. I'm sorry I tried to give you a fright with Remus when we were kids, you won't believe me but I honestly forgot how dangerous he can be."

"Actually I think I do believe you, Black," said Severus.

"Wow, you encountered Remus full on in your teens?" said Harry. "That makes standing in front of us when we first met Pettigrew even more heroic. I owe you."

"We're even," said Severus. "It would be nice to be a Prince but not worth trouble."

"Hell, I want your voting block," said Sirius. Severus laughed.

"Now that is easier to deal with than altruism," he said. "What was the outcome with Molly?"

"Molly has agreed to be devious on my behalf and pretend to Dumbledore, who appears not to have discovered the vassalage, or else believes Molly would buck it, so I'm going to be polite, tractable and apparently trusting of Dumbledore. Ron and I got together and though we won't ever be best mates again, he's quite enjoying pretending to rein me in for Dumbledore. He's also getting paid for it, and I gave him permission to accept the dirty money with my knowledge. Why should I give him a stipend if Dumbledore will?"

"You should have been a Slytherin," sighed Severus.

"Hey!" said Sirius.

"I can be whatever I want and portray whatever stereotype I need," said Harry. "Right, shall we get on with the map?"

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The new DADA teacher was heavily into defensive wards and runes, and Harry submitted to taking a two year course of runes from Hermione in the evenings. As Hermione said, it would hardly do her any harm to have the high level of revision that teaching gave. As potions now came more easily without the added stress, and Harry did not feel torn between Ron and work, it was less of a chore than it might have been. He also gave up quiddich, to the fury of Oliver Wood.

"Wood, you've already been scouted by a team and quiddich is going to be your career. My career is probably going to be killing Voldemort. Much as I might enjoy messing about on a broom, I'd like to study hard enough to survive long enough to teach any children I have the fun of messing about on a broom."

"How can you call quidditch 'messing about on a broom'?" demanded Wood, aghast.

"Well, face it, mate, it's only a game," said Harry. "I love playing, sure, but it's not like it's really important."

"You're mental," said Wood.

"I'm still alive," said Harry.

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On the whole, the fifth year went fairly well, and the map also went well.

Sirius returned from his last road trip with the last part keyed to the magic of Tom Riddle. Some of the runic display was in the notation of Herpo the Foul, as Severus had given Harry a pass to the restricted section to books on and about parselmagic, written in parseltongue, and he and Hermione had patiently sat with Harry as he read aloud, and put concepts into English to allow Harry to learn to recognise the runes as different to everyday script, since Harry had problems recognising that written parseltongue looked any different. Saul Croker was quite surprised to get the odd message detailing where to find a horcrux, and was mightily surprised when Sirius Black came in with a house elf and a very evilly enchanted locket.

"Kreacher wants to see it destroyed and I promised him he should," said Sirius. "He's been loyally trying to do so since 1980 or thereabouts, and he deserves to see it go."

Having received so much help from Lord Black and friends, it was difficult to refuse.

Dumbledore had Harry in his office, and got a headache trying to passively legilimens him. Severus had been teaching Harry and Hermione occlumency as well, but the ring was the outer layer of defence.

"Now, Harry, my boy, I'm sure you had fun being a grown-up over the summer, but be honest, wouldn't you like someone to take responsibility for you?" said Dumbledore, twinkling.

"No, not really," said Harry. "I swore an oath on my magic that I would never let anyone control me and my affairs again. I am not about to break that. I have a steward to run my affairs while I'm at school, and to be honest I rather enjoy the decision making towards growing my holdings. I've had the goblins invest in some muggle companies too, for me, which I'm pretty certain are going to do well in the future, a company called Microsoft, and another called Apple. I will always listen to your advice because everyone knows you are the wisest man in Britain, but I'm not going to give back my freedom."

"Oh Harry! Will you at least go back to live with your aunt and uncle? Your leaving them has put them in peril." Dumbledore was horrified that Harry had sworn a magical oath; he would have to be careful in guiding the boy so that he did not feel he was breaking that oath and lost his magic before he was ready for Voldemort to kill him.

"Why would I care?" said Harry. "My being with them put me in peril."

"Now, Harry, you don't mean that."

"Pushed down the stairs. Locked in the cupboard for days on end without food and water. Pushed in front of a bus by Dudley. Sorry, sounds like peril to me. Besides with luck they aren't there any more; I filed a complaint with the muggle social services and gave evidence, the whale at least should be in gaol, even if the stick insect gets off by claiming to be abused by her husband. And soon when Dudley gets picked up by the police for assault and battery he'll be liable for the full rigour of the law. With luck they'll all die in prison."

"Harry!"

"With respect, Headmaster, they have done more for Voldemort's cause than any death eater. They've weakened me to the point that prophesy or no, I am wondering whether I should just leave Britain, and let someone else deal with Voldemort if he can return again. I'm hoping that the creature which Madam Bones destroyed is his last gasp."

"Alas, it is not so," sighed Dumbledore. "He will return. And you must face him, my boy; we will just have to do what we can to make you stronger."

"It's why I'm working so hard," said Harry. "I think Mr. Bennett is a great teacher of DADA and he's made me realise how woefully ignorant I am, and how stupid I was to choose useless subjects like Muggle Studies and Divination."

"Now, seriously, Harry, do you think I would permit useless subjects to be taught?"

Harry shrugged.

"I assume your hands are tied by the governors not to get rid of useless teachers like Binns, or to update Muggle Studies beyond it being ancient muggle history, or to teach more divination theory to recognise true seers like the Lovegood girl."

"Ancient muggle history? Come now, Harry, it addresses the wonder of heavier than air flight, and how muggles use electricity to copy magic, how much more up to date could it be?"

"How about not having antique aeroplanes in the pictures, addressing the fact that muggles use electricity not to copy magic, since to do that they'd have to know about magic and the statute of secrecy would be a joke, and how one of the things they use electricity for is to power computers? Computers which can not only calculate faster than any goblin, but which can store information such that in a box a foot cubed you can store more information than is in the Hogwarts Library, the Black Library and the Potter library?"

"That's impossible!"

"Well, carry on believing that fairy tale if you like, Headmaster, but I assure you it is possible, and most people in England have access to such a tool, even if only about half actually own one. Oh, and there's a failure to teach about the first men to walk on the moon, and how near earth orbit is used to put cameras to photograph everywhere. I have a lovely photo of Hogwarts from space. It might be unplottable, but it's not unphotographable. I paid for a really good print out; it's on the wall in my dormitory if you care to drop by and have a look."

"Bless my soul!" said Dumbledore in lively alarm.

"They aren't good enough yet to photograph a quidditch match," said Harry. "I should think that'll take about ten years. I rather thought that knowing things like that would have been important to avoid breaking the statute of secrecy, but I guess as you are wiser than I am, you know better, and it's not a risk at all. I got photos of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons as well to send to Viktor and Fleur, isn't it neat?"

"It's ... extraordinary," said Dumbledore, who was reeling under several bad frights. Just think, if Molly had not brewed a loyalty potion, the boy might have kept such things to himself instead of prattling artlessly!

He had no idea that Harry was gleefully preparing to show this memory to his allies in the pensieve he had found in the Potter vault.

Dumbledore asked,

"Harry, your scar; has it given you any problems?"

"Not since I killed the soul anchor in it with basilisk venom," said Harry.

Dumbledore paled.

"Harry, how could you take such a risk?"

"At the time, dying was less of a problem to me than the nightmares and pain," he said. "Once I knew what the thing was, the solution was easy. I'm immune to basilisk venom so I never needed the bezoar."

"Oh Harry, it was extremely irresponsible of you."

"Really? I was under a lot of pressure at the time, having all that pain and having had some idiot thinking that having a fourteen year old in a competition for adults was a good idea. Killing the horcrux helped me think much more clearly and it stopped bleeding my magic. Did you know I was feeding power to Voldemort the same way as the dark mark does?"

"I ... no," said Dumbledore, who had never considered that.

"It should have been dealt with when I was a baby, of course," said Harry. "I expect you were under the imperious curse like Lucius Malfoy not to think of it. And to think it was a good idea to send me for ten years' continuous torture."

Dumbledore bit off several choice oaths. The loyalty potion made Harry seek a charitable explanation that seemed reasonable to him, of course.

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The horcrux in Hogwarts itself was retrieved by Dobby, using tongs, and Severus took that one to Croaker. The one in Gringott's was a matter of Sirius disowning Bellatrix and reclaiming her dowry.

"And the other two are close together in Little Hangleton and one moves," said Harry.

"I'm postulating it's the snake the aurors only stunned," said Severus. "How do you get on with Fawkes these days?"

"He trills to greet me, why?"

"I was wondering if he would provide tears if it would be worth stabbing the dark mark with a basilisk tooth," said Severus.

"How very Griffindor of you," said Harry, with a straight face.

"I asked for that. It's a quick and dirty solution but if it worked on a horcrux ..."

"Shouldn't it go when they are all destroyed?"

"Yes. And if it doesn't, we know he's still got something else up his sleeve."

"So many jokes, so little time," said Harry.

"Thank you for refraining," said Severus. "Yes, it would be a poor idea to get rid of it when we need it to gauge his power. It's pretty faint like it was after he bounced himself off Lily's wards."

"Well, I tracked down Merope's family from the marriage certificate, looking in the family tree books in Hogwarts library," said Harry. "And the Gaunt House is in Little Hangleton as well as a manor house being the residence given of Tom Riddle senior on the marriage cert. I'm going to buy it."

"Do you need any more property?"

"Don't you think it appropriate that Riddle's property is used as a haven for war orphans? Then nobody will ever be able to sent to someone like the Dursleys."

Severus shrugged. In practice most orphans had family of some kind in the wizarding world, but this was something Harry needed to do. And for the few who fell between the gaps, as he would have done himself had his parents died sooner, as any muggleborn would do, it would probably be worth it.

Harry reported the last two horcruces to Croaker, warning that one was probably a whacking great snake.

It took several days for the Unspeakables to undo all the curses on the Gaunt hut and the ring inside before they killed the horcrux. The snake was beheaded by one of the goblin curse breakers they took.

Severus was aware of a tingling in his arm as the final horcrux died, and with a grim smile he pushed up both his sleeves in the class of seventh years. Those from dark families looked at him with undisguised shock which only deepened on seeing that the mark they assumed him to have was gone.

"He really is dead this time," said Severus. "And serve the half-bred little line thief right."

Severus spent the evening teaching in the Slytherin common room, a lecture on the life and many deaths of Tom Marvolo Riddle, a halfblood psychopath.

It was not long afterwards that Dumbledore summoned Harry.

"Well, my dear boy, I am saddened that you know about soul anchors, and I'm disappointed in Sirius for telling you about them, but I am going to let you help me search for them."

"Don't bother, they're all gone," said Harry.

"My dear boy, you cannot know that," said Dumbledore. "I have unique information on Tom Riddle's early life which will help us."

"So do I; Hermione compiled me a thick dossier of his life in Wool's Orphanage, and their annual trip to St. Wethnoc's in Cornwall. She was able to pull all the orphanage records as it's after fifty years. It was scarily interesting reading; the reference to the little freak who did freaky things could almost have been me. Aren't you glad that I'm more or less indifferent to the fate of my relatives, and didn't actually kill them? It would have been easy, you know, and I did contemplate it. I cooked for them from the age of four, and wasn't allowed the meals decent folk ate, since freaks only get left overs. When there are any. I could have loaded a lemon sole with the ant killer which was kept in a similar looking container to the lemon essence and cried a lot over the police when they came because my glasses had been broken by Dudley again and I thought it was lemon. You could have created a monster."

"My dear boy, how could you even think of it?" Dumbledore was horrified.

"How? Because there were times when I thought that if I didn't kill them, they would kill me," said Harry, quietly. "A baby is a great deal of responsibility, and a small child growing up has a sense of self preservation which is much, much greater than any moral sense. I am aware you were not deliberately trying to kill me, or you would be before the Wizengamot for attempted line theft. I am aware that you are merely stupid, now I don't have to pretend any more to think how wise you are, because all seven horcruces are gone. I arranged to have them destroyed."

"But ... but how could you know where ... even I do not know where they all are!"

"No, of course you don't; because you're not stupid, you're half smart, and so you think nobody else is as smart as you. I've heard Aberforth say the same thing," said Harry. "I'm smart enough to realise that there are people who are much smarter than me so DUH! I ask their advice and help rather than trying to do it all myself like some hubris-ridden senile old coot. And because I'm smart, I asked for help to create a map which showed every trace of Tom Riddle's magical signature. They are all gone, and so are the marks indicating Death Eaters because the Dark Mark has gone. I have a list of them, though, in case any of them tries a rise of their own."

"It is time to forgive ..."

"It is time to make new beginnings and to leave them in peace unless and until any of them start something," said Harry. "Tokugawa Iyeyasu summed it up very neatly; forgive your enemies as soon as they are dead. Meantime, I'm going to follow the advice of SunTzu as well, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. I will socialise with former Death Eaters and take an interest in their children. I will sponsor them at need and make sure they look to me as someone to respect. That is a lesson I have learned from you. The other lessons I have learned from you are negative ones, but still important. Don't take on too many jobs because in seeing the wood not the trees, the bowtruckle sneaks through beneath your notice and bites you on the ankle. Also, the needs of the few or the one always outweigh the needs of the many, because if you address the needs of the individual, the need of the many will be taken care of for you by the individuals you help. Also, there is always someone smarter, stronger and wiser. Also, hoarding information means it doesn't get to the person best able to use it, rather like a miser hoarding pearls which rot without being handled. I think that covers most of it. Oh yes. Being a twinkly-eyed hypocrite who pretends to be kindly whilst plotting to get the unloved brat into a place where he will gratefully sacrifice himself is not an act of someone who is light. I despise you, headmaster, because you are in a position to do so much good and because you are blinded to the individual by some all-embracing and nebulous goal only you are crazy enough to understand, and so all you do is evil. Be careful; you have been turning dark for a very long time. Good day to you."

Dumbledore stared open mouthed.

"How dare he!" he cried. "Fawkes, I am not turning dark!"

The phoenix gave a sad little trill and hunched on his perch.

"Truly?" Dumbledore whispered.

The phoenix nodded.

"And all that he said – it was true?"

Fawkes nodded again.

"He ... it is not that he is turning dark?"

Fawkes gave a contemptuous squawk and turned his back.

"What must I do to return to the light?"

Fawkes flashed away, and returned with a long manifesto for Hogwarts in Harry's and Hermione's handwriting. It may be said that Harry, who had been quite depressed in feeling that his words would not be heeded, was delighted when the phoenix came for the list he had taken such pains over, and which he had managed to talk to Fawkes about when the headmaster was out of the castle.

Dumbledore read through the list.

He no longer had to worry about Tom and his horcruxes.

And when he looked at the demands they were all reasonable, logical and well thought out. Of course Severus would have no more need to take unfair house points, but with this charter, if he did so, it would be easy to sack him now he was no longer needed, and was, in some wise, an embarrassment. Not that Potter had named him as he had named Binns. And marks in potions had actually been rising. Well, it was not a demand to get rid of Severus, so one might see. Rules about bullying, runic wards to prevent the use of jinxes in the corridor, and to record whose wand had cast them, that was clever! Anti-rape wards ... shouldn't they be in place already? Albus Dumbledore was regretting not having taken runes seriously. Well, Aloysius Bennett would doubtless help, and he was also quite cute. Not as cute as Gilderoy, of course, but on the other hand, Aloysius was competent. It had been a mistake to employ Gilderoy just because of his passing resemblance to dear Gellert and his willingness to play games.

It was a sensible document, and one Albus had no problem in implementing.

With one small change.

Jinxes would be detected by the castle, but not prevented. Just occasionally something which might be interpreted as a jinx might be serving a medical purpose, and spell-dampning wards tended not to be discriminating, which would be unfortunate for some asthmatic child in need of an _apnoeo_ spell.

And when the headmaster announced the changes, Harry knew that he finally had a chance to enjoy school as school, not as a warzone.

 **Finis.**

 **Epilogue**

Binns was banished and a decent history teacher was employed. Guest lectures from other ghosts, goblins, centaurs and Europeans were encouraged. A muggle was employed to teach muggle studies. Bullying was finally sat upon firmly, though it took a while to stop all the violence from Gryffindors. The Slytherin smugly stayed out of any trouble, largely because the punishments they got from their house head for starting anything, even verbally, were draconian. Houses were encouraged to mingle at all meals beyond welcoming and leaving feasts, the four house tables being replaced by a large number of round tables.

A prankster's charter was installed, with input from Severus and Sirius, in which pranks had to be both harmless and funny. Any complaints about a prank would be reviewed by a panel of 8, 2 from each house, one junior and one senior, and a majority vote that the complaint was valid would lead to an all-house reprimand and punishment determined by the panel.

Harry and Hermione got married a year after they left school, having spent a year apart to check their own feelings. Hermione worked as an Unspeakable, and Harry threw himself into the Potter holdings, politics and charity work. He used his business acumen to fund social functions at which he and Sirius were the life and soul of the party whilst making contacts, suggesting actions and making himself a reasonable man who was not hated by the purebloods on the whole. Umbridge was an exception of course, though nobody knew how it happened that she got so drunk that she drowned in a large puddle after leaping out of a fifth storey window twice. Dobby and Kreacher objected to the policy Harry Potter Sir was trying to oppose, which would have meant Harry Potter Sir's Wolfie, aka Blood-traitor master's pet wolf, would have had to leave the country. Both elves thought they had protected their families very well and were good elves. As nobody else found out about it, there was no backlash against elves.

Sirius and Harry managed to get Severus installed as Lord Prince, which might have made Umbridge's machinations moot but nobody mourned her.

It took over forty years to implement most of the changes to society that Hermione might have wanted, but she was proud that her first grandchild went to wizarding preparatory school with muggleborns, boarding for four days a week from the age of 9, and continuing with their muggle subjects. Muggle studies was updated, and Hogwarts acquired a rune-warded computer suite. Muggle sciences, history and politics were mandatory, and other muggle subjects were available. All muggleborn were now taught wizarding customs and etiquette in prep school. Muggle parents had a mandatory right to visit the school like purebloods and were provided with bracelets permitting them to both see the school and summon the knight bus; and St Mungo's opened a department for the muggle relatives of wizarding folk, where a mix of muggle and magical means were used, dependent on how much magic each muggle could be safely given. Some muggle techniques were also starting to be used on magical folk where it seemed useful.

 **The real finis**


End file.
